This blog exists to support liberatory collectivist activism that is anti-patriarchy, anti-colonialism, and anti-capitalism. It also seeks to center the experiences, theories, and agendas of radical and feminist women of color.

Friday, May 13, 2011

What's wrong with this image from V magazine (summer 2011, "The Asian Issue")?

There use of the female body, turned into something utterly unnatural, to sell magazines is nothing new. The use of white and Asian women, and Black and Brown and Indigenous women, presented in sexist ways to sell magazines is nothing new. What's new for me is seeing a white-Western magazine which promotes itself as "The Asian Issue" wherein a white woman is made to have three heads, one of which is Asian. I suppose I'm supposed to think about dragons, what with the issue being about Asian people and all. Even if the dragon as a symbol is specific to only some ancient and contemporary Asian cultures.

Ableism, ageism, sexism, heterosexism, racism, and classism combine to form this image. Take those elements out, there's nothing left but the grey background.

The cover image alone--without venturing into the interior of the magazine--is enough to make you wonder what ever happened to human rights struggles for dignity and respect. I'm not sure there's much else to say about this image, other than, "shame on V". I don't expect them to get it. I do hope you won't get it--the magazine, that is.